Italian icon Paolo Di Canio has weighed in on one player Mikel Arteta sold during the summer transfer window.
Arsenal sold three players during the summer, making a minimal amount on those allowed to go to other clubs.
The Gunners are notoriously bad at selling players, as was noticed in the summer by Albert Sambi Lokonga’s woeful sale price.
While Lokonga left permanently to join Fabio Vieira at Hamburg, Nuno Tavares’ Arsenal journey came to an end, as the defender signed for Lazio after impressing on loan.
- READ MORE: Borussia Dortmund were willing to offer Arsenal ‘big money’ to sign ‘brilliant’ star in the summer
Paolo Di Canio slams Nuno Tavares’ latest performance for Lazio
Tavares was valued highly by Lazio president Claudio Lotito during his loan spell at the club last season, but things have taken a turn since.
Lotito insisted the Portuguese defender was worth in excess of £50m, but after Lazio’s defeat in the Derby della Capitale, Paolo Di Canio claimed Arsenal were right to sell him for less than £10m.
Arsenal sold Tavares for just £6m, a fee that Di Canio thinks was acceptable after watching the full-back in action.
Tavares made an error leading to a goal in the Rome Derby, a mistake that Di Canio slammed when speaking on Sky Sports Italia, as transcribed by Tutto Mercato Web.
“Without Tavares’ mistake, the derby would have ended in a draw,” Di Canio said.
“It’s well known that Tavares doesn’t have a particularly keen footballing mind, even though he might be able to stride in the open field.”
The West Ham icon’s scathing review then reached another level, as after questioning the 25-year-old’s footballing IQ, he questioned what Lazio expected having paid such a small fee for the player.
“He should have moved the ball and kicked it up, while Sarri should know he doesn’t have that kind of intelligence. Otherwise, would Arsenal have given him to you for €4m?”
It was a punishing mistake for Tavares that the player paid for, being hooked at half-time, just seven minutes after the error took place.
How the players who left Arsenal permanently are doing at their new clubs
While Tavares is going through a rough patch at Lazio, some of Arsenal’s other permanent exits over the summer are thriving.
Jorginho has become an instant hero at Flamengo, while Lokonga recently made his Bundesliga debut for Hamburg.
It’s not all been rosy, as Kieran Tierney missed out on the Champions League with Celtic, and Marquinhos is struggling to get game time in Brazil with Cruzeiro, playing just one minute over the last five games.
So, Tavares isn’t the only one who is struggling since leaving Arsenal for good in the summer, but fortunately, there’s a lot of time to make amends.
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